NICB: Beware of unannounced inspectors, they may be scammers

The National Insurance Crime Bureau wants insurance customers to know that scammers can strike at any time. To ward them off, the NICB is arming customers with tips they can use to spot them before they strike.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of a scam in the waiting is when a random "inspector" shows up at a person's home unannounced and unsolicited. NICB says legitimate inspectors and insurance adjusters will never show up without the customer asking for their services, Thus, as the NICB says, if it wasn't requested, reject it.

NICB offers other tips at its website.

Tips like these come a month and a half after announcing its "Know Before You Tow" campaign, which was kicked off last December. The campaign warned motorists of rogue tow companies that try to hoodwink people out of hundreds of dollars by preying on the vulnerable. NICB warned motorists to be aware of how much of their insurance policy covers for towing costs to avoid being billed exorbitant fees by towing companies.

The NICB says aggressive and deceptive towing tactics have been observed most prevalently in the Houston, Texas, area.